Vehicle wheel



Patented May 30, 1922..

I-Imm III Y still for the purpose of illustrating a prac` parts in the several views,

STATES WILLIAM T. WILDER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Specification of lLetters'latent.

Patented May 30, 1922.

Application led August 6, 1920. Serial No. 401,741.

vcushion tires.

Among the objects of the invention lis to so construct a wheel as to includev a hub, spoke members carried more or less permanently by the hub, and a rim demountabl, connected to the outer ends 'of the spo e members for easy and quick interchange of the tire which will be presumed to be carried permanently by the rim.

More specifically stated the purpose of the 1nvent1on is to construct aitire supporting rim with inwardly projectingy parts adapted for interlocking co-operation with the spoke or web portion of the wheel which latter is y carried by the hub.

lWith the foregoing and other objects view the invention consists in thearrangementand combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is notrestricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein,

ticalembodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, reference characters designate the same and in which- Figure section of a wheel showing my inventlon, the view being of thatv side of the wheel which ordinarily is locatedv adjacent to the vehicle body.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. t

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a fravmentof the rim.

i ure 4 is a detail sectional view correspon ing tothe upper portion of Fig. 2, but indicating an intermediate stage in the assemblyv of the. parts.

i Referring now more particularly to the drawings l show a wheel comprismg a hu 10 of any suitable structure or des1gn, but including a rigid flange 11 on its 1nner en and a threaded neck portion 12 at its outer or the like, and has in which like l'whereby 1 1s a view 1n elevation, partly inv clined face 14a d wheel the spiders end, the hub between the flange 11 and the threaded portion consisting of a smooth cylinder 13. A collar 14 is threaded upon the portion 12 at the outer end of the hub and extends inward over a considerable portion of the smooth cylinder v13. The opposing inner faces of the flange 11 and collar 14 are inclined with respect to the planes perpendicular to the axis of the hub as indicated at 11a and 14a. These parts will be referred to hereinafter as inclined faces.

The rim is indicated at 15 and is of rigid material and of suflicient strength .for the purposes of the wheel. As indicated the rim includes outwardly projecting flanges 16 for supporting a tire of any suitable design and not shown because it is of conventional construction. The rim includes also inwardly projecting flanges 17 and 18 of peculiar construction. The flange 17 is continuous and has on its inner surface notches 19 spaced from one another around the rim uniformly and at equal distances. The flange-18 is provided with notches 19 similar to those on the opposite side of the wheel, but staggered with respect thereto around the wheel. The flange 18 is distinguished from the flange 17 in not being continuous but provided with gaps 20, there being as many gaps 20 as there lare notches 19 in the flange 18, butl the gaps may be located at any desired points between the notches 19. i

Between the hub andthe rim are arranged any suitable spoke members or spiders 21, shown as two in number, and each of a conical form. The apex portionof the cone constitutes a hub web 22 and having a hole the same is adapted to slip freely over the smooth portion 13 ofthe hub. One of thesel hub webs conforms to `and fits against the inclined face 11, while the other is adapted to similarly of the collar 14. These spoke members or spiders are preferably stamped or otherwise formed from sheet material such as sheet steel, or its equivalent, and are notched out to form spokes 23 whichmay be of any suitable size or form in cross section, but preferably tapered outwardtoward their lfree ends.

The widthfof the free ends of the spokes considered circumferentially of the wheel is b substantially equalto the `length of the aps I n the assemblage o the are slipped upon the hub with the spokes of one spiderv alternating 2O and notches 19.

lit against the inshown in Fig. 2 whereby with the spokes of the other. The normal form of the spiders as indicated in the drawings in Fig. 4 is such that the altitude of the cone is materially greater .than it is after the wheel is completely assembled, and con# sequently the length of each spoke considered radially of the Wheel is materially less than itis in the finished wheel. It is noted also that the spokes'of the several spiders cross one another making avery compact and yet very stiff structure. Next the rim 15`carrying with it any suitable tire or cushion is slipped directly over the ends of the spokes, the gaps 20 receiving first the ends of the spokes pertaining to the web lying against the flange 1I. After the rim passes over the vends of these spokes a slightrelative ro` tation is imparted to the rim.with respect to the'other portions of the wheel so as to bring the ends of theother spokes into position, to be passed' through the gaps. The collar 14 is then put upon thev threaded end of the hub. The collar is preferably provided with threads for threaded co-operation with the hub'vso that byv the application of force as through' a wrench t9 the collar the web portions of the two spiders are caused to approach each other forcibly to the position the effective length of the spokes will be increased and the ends Vof the spokes will be forced into all of the notches 19. These notches as indicated at 19a may extend outward into the body of the rim so as to make a more effective interlock. After the collar 14 is turned or driven to its desired position making a rigid interlocking connection between the spiders and the rim a lock nut 24, indicatedas a cap, will be turned upon the threaded end of the hub and A so will lock the collar 14 from movement with respect to the hub. By making the collar long enough to overlap a considerable portion of the cylinder 13 the web'portion4 of the outer spider will not drag o-ver the threads during the application thereof to or the removal thereof from the hub, or inthe application or removal of a rim.

It will thus be apparent that my improved wheel is of a relatively simple, strongqan'd yeti easily manufactured structure and one whichis capable of rim interchange-With the minimum amount of time and labor. Moreover the wheel is of neat appearance and is practically indestructible. The spokes by reason of the conicity ofthe spiders have sufficient convexity in cross. section to add materially to their rigidity.

I claim:

l. A wheel, comprising a hub, a flanged rim provided with gaps, two-(conical sheet metal spoke members .slidably mounted on the hub and having interlocking engagement with the flanges ofthev rim, and means on the hub for forcing the `spoke members toward each other,.whereby the spokes will be forced into firm interlocking engagement with the flanges of the rim. A

Q. A wheel comprising a hub, two conical sheetmetal spoke members slidably mounted on the hub, the spokes ofone memberexin" and means on the hub for moving-the' memberstoward. each to -force thev 'spokes firmly into the seats -of the rim.

3. The herein described wheel comprising a` hub, a rim surrounding the hub and having inwardlyI projecting parallel flanges, said flanges` being provided'on their inner faces with notches, and one of them having gaps therein, spoke means extending be tween the hub and the rim, the ends of the spokes being adapted to enter said notches, and means Vcti-operating with the` hub to force the ends of the spokes voutward into interlcking engagement in said notches.

4. end screw threaded and provided at its other end with a flange, two spoke members loosely mounted onthe hub and having the spokes of one member extending between the spokes of ithe other member, a 'rim having inwardly extending flanges provided.`

with notches on their inner faces to receive the ends ofthe spokes, one of the flanges having gaps therein, a threaded collar on the hub and engaging one of the said spoke members, and a -nut on the hub and engaging the collar.

5. A wheel comprising a hub having one end screw threaded and provided at its other end with a flange having a beveled inner face, two conical spoke members loosely. mounted on the hub, the spokes o f one member extendingebetween; the spokes of the other member, one of the lspoke members engaging the flange of the hub, a rim having inwardly extendingy flanges provided with notches on their inner`faces to receive the ends of the spokes, one of the flanges being provided 'with "gaps, a -threaded collar' mounted on the hub and. having aA beveled inner face engaging the other spoke member,

and a nut on the hub and engaging the collar.

WILLIAM T. ,WILDER wheel comprising a hub having one y 

